Of Cowards, Self-Censorship, Comedy Central and the NY Times

As we all know, none of us, no matter what our religion, no matter how strong our faith, no matter if we are atheists with no faith at all – none of us! – is allowed to show images of any kind depicting the prophet Mohammad. To do so is to violate the rules of Islam, we’re told. And If images of Mohammad are shown, as they were in those Danish cartoons several years ago, we get world-wide riots, death and destruction. Hey, rules are rules, right?

Enter South Park.

The creators of the irreverent TV show that goes after every sacred cow you can think of, figured it would be funny to show Mohammad on TV without actually showing him. So they ran an episode about Mohammad coming to South Park, but he only “appeared” inside a U-Haul trailer and was only “shown” inside a Bear costume.

Pretty funny, huh? Not really, unless you consider a death threat funny. Turns out, someone from a New York-based Web site called revolutionmuslim.com posted a warning predicting that the show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, would end up like Theo van Gogh, the Dutch filmmaker who was murdered in 2004 for his biting criticism of Islam. As was reported, “The writer, an American convert to Islam, didn’t technically threaten to kill them himself. His post, and the accompanying photo of van Gogh’s corpse, was just ‘a warning … of what will likely happen to them.’”

The threat caught the attention of Comedy Central, the network that broadcasts South Park, whose executives decided not to rile up the crazies. They censored the prophet’s “appearances” and bleeped out every verbal reference to Mohammad.

Profiles in courage, these empty suits are not.

And then the whole sorry episode caught someone else’s attention: New York Times op-ed columnist Ross Douthat, who wrote about Comedy Central’s cowardice. “In a way, the muzzling of ‘South Park’ is no more disquieting than any other example of Western institutions’ cowering before the threat of Islamist violence,” he wrote. “It’s no worse than the German opera house that temporarily suspended performances of Mozart’s opera ‘Idomeneo’ because it included a scene featuring Muhammad’s severed head. Or Random House’s decision to cancel the publication of a novel about the prophet’s third wife. Or Yale University Press’s refusal to publish the controversial Danish cartoons … in a book about the Danish cartoon crisis. Or the fact that various Western journalists, intellectuals and politicians — the list includes Oriana Fallaci in Italy, Michel Houellebecq in France, Mark Steyn in Canada and Geert Wilders in the Netherlands — have been hauled before courts and “human rights” tribunals, in supposedly liberal societies, for daring to give offense to Islam.”

Douthat ended his op-ed with this: “This isn’t Weimar Germany, and Islam’s radical fringe is still a fringe, rather than an existential enemy.

“For that, we should be grateful. Because if a violent fringe is capable of inspiring so much cowardice and self-censorship, it suggests that there’s enough rot in our institutions that a stronger foe might be able to bring them crashing down.”

Douthat’s scathing attack on cowardice was right on the money. But I wonder if his colleagues at the Times caught the irony. Because to find another example of cowardice and self-censorship, Douthat has only to look to the New York Times’ own editorial page.

On February 7, 2006, when those Danish cartoons were sparking riots around the world, the Times ran an editorial saying, “The new York Times and much of the rest of the nation’s news media have reported on the cartoons but refrained from showing them. That seems a reasonable choice for news organizations that usually refrain from gratuitous assaults on religious symbols, especially since the cartoons are so easy to describe in words.”

That’s one way to put it. Here’s another: “We here at the Times are cowards who are deathly afraid to show those cartoons that are touching off riots because we fear the repercussions of radical Muslims – and to hell with news values.”

But just one day later – just one day! — the very same New York Times ran a story about the power of images, about how they can touch off passionate, sometimes violent reactions. And in that story the Times published a picture of a painting called “The Holy Virgin Mary” which was on display at the Brooklyn Museum and was causing quite a stir — because the painting showed Mary covered in elephant dung and pornographic pictures!

So much for the New York Times concern about offending people of faith, and it’s desire to “refrain from gratuitous assaults on religious symbols.”

I hope the gods who write editorials at the New York Times read their op-ed columnists attack on cowardice and self-censorship. I hope they see themselves in those words. But I know better.

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jodee1969

Why the press blackout on the capture of the leader of the Taliban AND THAT censorship?

Oh yes….the press and the media in general don’t dare to touch muslims even if they are always involved in acts of terrorism (not all the muslims are terrorists, but all the terrorists are muslims!!). But oh surprise, everybody attacks Jews for anything we do, even survive!!!
But of curse, we are too many (15 milion) and muslims are too few (1500 million); so we are the deangerous ones!!!!.

Marine

It is so apparent that Stephen Colbert lives in some sort of fantasy world, unable and/or unwilling to use research, logic, reason, or context to help frame his arguments. It is a fact that BOTH Democrats (147 in the Senate and House) and Republicans voted and passed the Iraq War Resolution. These members of the legislature had access to the SAME intelligence reports as the Bush administration. Islamic Fascists openly declared war on the US in the latre 90’s and have been committing acts of terrorism for DECADES. 9/11 was the culmination of those attacks. Saddam used WMD on his own people, conitnuously broke UN sanctions, continued to take a threatening posture, and expressed openly his desire to obtain WMD. His stance against UN inspectors also gave the appearance that he was hiding something. These things compounded by the intelligence reports and the harboring of terrorists caused the US to act. It was Saddam’s regime’s fault and his actions that caused Iraq to be invaded, not the US’. I know you libs like to blame America first. The Japanese attacked US and we were forced into WWII. It baffles me that you cannot grasp the differences between using weapons in a war and the beheading and torturing of prisoners of war and kidnapped civilians. As far as Cable News goes, I did a search and found such stories as “April ’10 Ratings: Fox News Hits 100 Months at #1″. It is a fact that Fox continues to grow while the liberal cable networks continue to decline. You compared the Fox numbers to a TOTAL for the alphabet networks. Totalling those networks and comparing that total to Fox is not a valid comparison. Also, the alphabet networks are vailable to those who do not have cable and are limited in their choices. The only tuly accurate picture for Fox, a cable network, is a comparison with other cable news networks. In that case, it is undoubtedly kicking their butts.

Jack Davis

Last night, in a series of posts running from “Stephen Colbert says—April 29, 2010 at 8:21 p.m.” to “Jack Davis says—April 30, 2010 at 12: 26 a.m.,” I exposed Stephen Colbert for the liar he is.

Anyone who cares to review the series of posts will see that Stephen Colbert lies on these pages. He willfully misrepresents what people say. He is basically and fundamentally dishonest.

I encourage all of you to ignore his commentary, as he brings nothing to the discussion save for lies and deceit.

Do you clowns ever get tired of being wrong? I never heard of this place prior to Stewart’s recent beatdown of Bernie.

Brian

Comedy Central is displaying cowardice? Maybe. But what they did do is allow the show to be aired and raise awareness of this issue.

By the way, I think you and Jon Stewart actually agree on this one. I’m a Jon Stewart fan and I think what is going between you guys is entertaining. It’s great to see some back and forth between the right and left for a change. You and O’Reilly admitted that some of what Jon was saying rang true. Instead of each side ranting out monologue rhetoric, you guys actuallly responded to each other. Amazing.

joedee1969

How about they way they censor if someone says something about Tim Teebow or the church:

There’s actually a fascinating 1976 movie called The Message, starring Anthony Quinn. It’s a film about the life of Mohammed, except that no one plays Mohammed, as the main character is never seen. All you see is other people’s reactions to him, but the man himself is always respectfully out of the shot.

Jihad would be such a great title for a Broadway musical about Islam, along the lines of Jesus Christ Superstar. (Jihad, after all, simply means struggle. It doesn’t necessarily refer to blowing stuff up, although this fringe connotation of the word, alas, is the most infamous one.)

For instance, just like the the scene in JCS (“Gethsemane”) where Jesus is suddenly gripped by a human fear of death on the eve of his crucifixion and pleads with God to let him live (“Take this cup away from me, for I don’t want to drink its poison …”), I could imagine an equally powerful song in the cockpit of one of the airliners, where the hijackers suddenly come to doubt the righteousness of their mission before crashing the plane into a building.

Unfortunately, such musical will never come to be for security reasons. And if it does, it’ll have to be performed at secret and always changing locations.

rlitzen

Reading the posts of Stepehn Colbert, one has to realize that 1. He thinks exclusively in terms of religion and therefore believes that people and coutries, like his own are dominated by what is believed to be “religioun”
2. Colbert can not understand, as he has been raised in isolated environment where a thought contrary to his Imam or Sheik or owner of him as a boy, is met with death and something called “apostacy”.
3. Colbert was obviously brought up in a very primitive and barbaric way of life where women are covered up in veils and gowns and he dreams of nine year old little girls- in fact 70 of them in heaven like his prophet promised.
4. Colbert, as he has been taught in his mosque, obsesses over jews (Einstein) and Christians since his prophet was rebuffed by each group in the 640’s because his prpophet was a sociopathic child molester who got his kicks rapnig women while toturing their husbands to death and jews and Chrisians denied him status as a prophet!!!
5. Colbert has been taught to be defensive about his own beliefs because his prophet spent his whole life rationalizing why he committed murder, robbed, raped and stole since the Jews and Christians looked upon this practice with much disgust.
6. Colbert, in other words, is a muslim who has no clue how the rest of world can live peacefully without blowing the hell out of each other. For Colbert, once all Jews and Christians are killed, he will be able go back and rationalize that shi’ites are superior to sunnis or that sunnis are superior to shi’ites and then blow the hell out of them.
7. Colbert will probably cry to the nearest PC democrat once he reads this and ask that this cite be censored. Like the Palestinians and other muslim arabs who threaten Israel and then get their asses kicked, they will cry and whine they were victims.
8. Then, even though arabs supported Hitler and murdered millions of Jews during WWII, they will say we are nazis.
Ignore Colbert and he will go away or call CAIR and whine and cry like the baby girl he will one day want marry.

Stephen Colbert

It should surprise no one that your 8 “assumptions” are all wrong.

EddieD_Boston

Ya but his point that you’re an idiot is “spot-on”, to borrow a phase from the moonbats.

Stephen Colbert

Eddie, if he’s wrong about everything, that makes him the idiot.

Although, you wingnuts are wrong so often I can understand why you might want to pretend that being wrong means the other guy is an idiot.

Mike Jeffries

Stephen, you’ve been proven wrong so many times on these pages that EddieD_Boston’s call is right on target. If the shoe fits, bro….

(((Next, Stephen will demand proof of his erroneous posts. If he cared to respond, Mike would reply: “Read previous pages on this blog.”)))

Stephen Colbert

Mike, so far you morons haven’t proved me wrong about anything except a punctuation error. If you’ve got proof that I was wrong about anything, you should post it.

Mike Jeffries

Plenty of previous posts have shown that your thought processes are not firing on all cylinders. Calling people “morons” is only one indication of that.

By the way, I picked up two other grammatical errors farther down: using a period where a question mark was called for; placed a period outside an ending quotation mark. So we’re not talking “a” punctuation error here but a continuing series of errors.

Stephen Colbert

They have done nothing of the sort. The “logic” of claiming that Muslims are “animals” while claiming that we were justified in burning cities to the ground is fatally flawed.

And, at the time I posted it was only “a” punctuation error.

CCNV

Name one example of the military beheading a Muslim, and posting it on a website? PROVE it.

Stephen Colbert

When did beheading Muslims become the standard for anything? When you can drop bombs on people there is no point in cutting their heads off.

Seriously, what’s the difference between dropping a bomb on someone and cutting their head off? Either way they’re dead.

CCNV

If you are so hell-bent on degrading the US, why don’t you leave? Go kiss the ass of Chavez, Ahmadinejad or Kim Jong-il. They’d love to have some fresh meat to entertain them. You’d scream like a sissy.

War is hell, ever heard that? There’s NO WAY to change history…at least until your idol, Obama, changes it in the textbooks.

Stephen Colbert

I’m not degrading the US, I’m degrading morons like you.

And I’m well aware that “war is hell”. That’s why I’m not whining about how terrible it is when someone’s head is cut off. You know, because war is hell.

EddieD_Boston

Liberalism is a mental defect. You’re living proof. To defend these sub-human radical muslims and make an attempt to draw an analogy with Harry S Truman is laughable. You really don’t get it do you? And that’s exactly why you’re a liberal. Never let reality get in the way of your illogical thinking. Liberals live in a child-like dreamworld. You’re making a fool of yourself but aren’t smart enough to realize it.

Stephen Colbert

Eddie, now that your whiny little tirade is over, can you explain why it’s worse to cut someone’s head off than drop a bomb on them?

Jack Davis

You lost the “burning cities” argument a long time ago. It’s a shame that you just don’t get it.

Stephen Colbert

How did I lose that argument? It seems pretty obvious that I won. Killing 100,000+ people by burning their city to the ground would seem to make it difficult for the city burners to call other people “animals”. Where is the flaw in my logic?

CCNV

You sound like a person whose Mommy and Daddy keeps rubbing your nose in something that happened in your past, and they won’t let you forget what you did.

The current situation in Iraq and Afghanistan is in direct response to 9/11. Both Dems and Republicans signed off on it.

Another famous quote is “Payback is hell!”

Stephen Colbert

You sound like a self made retard.

Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. The situation there is the direct result of rightwingnut stupidity. You can try to blame it on the Dems, but that war will forever be known as George W Bush’s Disaster.

I hope you’re enjoying the payback.

CCNV

Actually, I am enjoying the payback. We’ve liberated a nation of people who were slaughtered for no reason at all. Like I said, if you don’t like it here, leave. Oh, and I’d rather be a retard than a liberal.

Jack Davis

Clearly, Stephen, you’ve understood nothing on this blog page nor entries on previous blog pages regarding Truman’s moral imperative to burn Japanese cities to the ground…by firebombing them or nuking them…in order to hasted the end of World War II.

If Truman had NOT used the atomic bomb, MILLIONS more Americans and Japanese would have been killed in the war. If you’d read AND understood anything written above and on previous pages, you’d see that it would have been IMMORAL for Truman NOT to use EVERY weapon at his disposal to end World War II in the Pacific.

Also, you need to acquaint yourself with the racist component of World War II, on both sides of the conflict. Clearly, you’re ignorant of the racial factors, which further supports my point that your history teacher was woefully derelict in his/her duty in letting you teach a history unit on World War II.

Stephen Colbert

“Actually, I am enjoying the payback”

The payback is that Barack Obama is now president, you moron.

Mike Jeffries

Well, Barack Obama has a few years left as president, Stephen, whereas you will remain intellectually challenged forever.

Stephen Colbert

“Clearly, Stephen, you’ve understood nothing on this blog page nor entries on previous blog pages regarding Truman’s moral imperative to burn Japanese cities to the ground…by firebombing them or nuking them…in order to hasted the end of World War II.”

Jack, if we can claim a “moral imperative” to burn down cities, what is there to stop Al Qaeda, or anyone else, from claiming that they have a “moral imperative” to cut heads off?

Stephen Colbert

Punctuation Boy, it must really suck to get your ass kicked by someone who is “mentally challenged”.

CCNV

Would you make up your mind? Am I a retard or a moron? It’s one or the other, Stevie.

Jack Davis

Stephen, this will come as a surprise to you, but al-Qaeda HAS ALREADY CLAIMED their moral imperative to cut heads off.

They take their moral imperative from their interpretation of the Koran. Now if you’d read what Osama bin Laden has written in his diatribes, you’d see that bin Laden and his minions HAVE ALREADY CLAIMED that moral imperative.

Once again, Stephen, you’ve proved how out of touch…and ignorant of history…you really are.

Clearly, you need to do more reading on the subjects discussed on this blog.

Stephen Colbert

CCNV, why does it have to be one or the other? You appear to be both. Squared.

Mike Jeffries

You’re consistently wrong on the rules of grammar and usage, Stephen, so I’d hardly consider that as having MY ass kicked.

Stephen Colbert

Punctuation Boy, knowing how to punctuate a losing argument must look great on your resume.

Mike Jeffries

Well, based on the mistakes you’ve made in your posts, Stephen, it’s a sure bet that your resume is more hindrance than help to you in furtherance of your career.

Stephen Colbert

Punctuation Boy, correcting someone’s punctuation isn’t a winning argument, it’s an attempt to cover up the fact that you’re not smart enough to think of a winning argument.

Stephen Colbert

By the way, I don’t have to further my career. I’m going to be retired in a few years. I’ll be 50.

Stephen Colbert

“Stephen, this will come as a surprise to you, but al-Qaeda HAS ALREADY CLAIMED their moral imperative to cut heads off.”

Well, if they have a moral imperative, by your rules, that makes it ok. Why are you calling them savages? They’re just following your rules.

Jack Davis

I never used the word “savages,” Stephen. You’re lying again.

Stephen Colbert

Whether or not you have used the word does not change the fact that you have described their actions as those of savages. Don’t try to pretend otherwise.

Jack Davis

First you lie about what I said. Then you write that it doesn’t matter what I said…that you know what I meant even though I didn’t say what you said I did.

You’re basically and fundamentally dishonest, Stephen.

I have not used “savages” in connection with any “they.”

Lie all you want. When you put your words in other people’s mouths…and chastise them for saying what they DIDN’T say…you have lost the argument.

Stephen Colbert

Jack, do you think they’re savages?

Jack Davis

See previous post, Stephen.

You lie on these pages. You willfully misrepresent what people say. You’re basically and fundamentally dishonest. You have lost the argument.

Game over.

Stephen Colbert

Jack, the prior post doesn’t answer the question. I didn’t ask if you called them savages, I asked if you think they’re savages. Another poster called them sub-human, and I didn’t see you disagree. Do you think they are savages?

EddieD_Boston

I guess stoning a rape victim to death is mainstream behavior in the 21st century. Silly me.

Stephen Colbert

Not where I live. What prompted this random idiotic statement?

http://dailyhowler.com/ Wil Burns

Steve This forum is only for people who agree with Bernie’s opinions. It’s much more fun to get a bunch of people together (who agree with each other) and then have them openly disagree on various subjects.

Paul Marks

If if had not been for the surrender millions of Japanese would have died in the invasion – most of them civilians.

And it hard to see how there could have been a surrender without the atomic attacks – indeed there was desperate effort at a coup in spite of the two attacks. However, I agree that a unhabited area should have been tried first – with invited Japanese observers (under safe conduct).

Most likely such an effort would have failed (the two cites would have had to be destroyed anyway – the second to show the first was not a fluke), but the effort should have been tried even if it had only a 1 in a 100 chance of success.

By the way Einstein did write a letter to F.D.R. that led to the project to build an atomic weapon – he did not go New Mexico (or anthing like that – too old and not really the sort of person you would want for a practical project), but it was his letter. He feared Germany would develop the weapon.

Still all of this stuff is an effort to divert attention from Mr Goldberg’s article.

The facts are simple – the left will mock Christianity but they will not mock Muhammed. This is partly because they are cowards, but also because they see the forces of Islam as useful allies against Western “capitalist” civilization – it is the old “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” game.

After all the leaders of various far left groups and various “Islamist” groups used to live in the same Hyde Park area of Chicago and used to give each other jobs on the boards of various charitable foundations.

A person much admired in the lamestream media used to live in the same area of Chicago – and sat on the same boards of foundations (with the vast sums of money at their command) with the various Marxists and Islamists, he visited their houses and they visited his (and so on and so on).

But of course dear Barack Obama had no idea who any of these people (who he knew and worked with for DECADES) were.

He also had no idea that the “affordable housing policy” (with which he was involved up to his neck) was a vast scam creating a credit money bubble that wreaked the economy.

And Barack Obama has no idea that the Chicago Climate Exchange (which he helped set up with money from foundation on whose board he sat) is another currupt scam.

“Jon Stewart” or Stephen Colbert could do a funny skit on Barack Obama being surrounded by Marxists, Islamists and corruption his whole life – and never seeing any of it (perhaps the skit could be around Barack Obama going for an eye test to work out why he keeps missing the stuff he is surrounded by).

However, I suspect that J.S. and S.C. would never dare do something like that.

Jack Davis

A test in an uninhabited area–with the Japanese as observers–or giving the Japanese a warning was not feasible. For reference, see: “Rain of Ruin, A Photographic History of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” by Donald M. Goldstein, J. Michael Wenger and Katherine V. Dillon, Page 14.

Also, quoting James Martin Davis:

“In addition to the use of poison gas and bacteriological warfare (which the Japanese had experimented with), Japan mobilized its citizenry.

“Had Olympic come about, the Japanese civilian population, inflamed by a national slogan – “One Hundred Million Will Die for the Emperor and Nation” – were prepared to fight to the death. Twenty Eight Million Japanese had become a part of the National Volunteer Combat Force. They were armed with ancient rifles, lunge mines, satchel charges, Molotov cocktails and one-shot black powder mortars. Others were armed with swords, long bows, axes and bamboo spears. The civilian units were to be used in nighttime attacks, hit and run maneuvers, delaying actions and massive suicide charges at the weaker American positions.

“At the early stage of the invasion, 1,000 Japanese and American soldiers would be dying every hour.”

In addition to the military, 28 million Japanese were ready to die for the emperor.

Tim Ned

The United States had built three bombs. The first used for the initial test leaving two. The U.S. considered a demonstration for the Japanese but determined that such a test if successful would leave only one. And a failure of that test would send a very different message to the Empire of Japan.

Those who questions the decision by Harry Truman should look through his eyes. He saw how the Russians suffered one million casualties against a German army consisting of children and old men from the day they crossed into Germany, until their ultimate surrender. A country that was supposedly defeated. He saw American Forces island hop across the Pacific taking thousands of casualties with Japanese fighting to the end with Japanese civilians jumping from cliffs. He saw how they defended islands which was not their homeland. How else could he perceive the final invasion of the Japanese homeland. How could anyone question the decision President Truman made based upon what he had observed.

We are fortunate that there were so many journalists, photographers, and film makers who were there to record for history WWII. They too are hero’s and many paid with their lives. In reading Bernie’s article, it is obvious that the journalists who so courageously covered WWII are extinct. For today’s journalist only satire those religions which will not harm them.

Jack Davis

EXCELLENT commentary, Tim. Thank you for posting it.

Bruce A.

Good posts, it’s apparent you three have read history & know the facts. The decision to drop the bomb tormented Pres. Truman. He spent hours looking out the Oval Office window. & thinking. The final decision to drop the bomb was made to save both American & Japanese lives.

Tim Ned

Paul, Jack, and Bruce; we must never permit history to be rewritten by 21st century progressives. My dad served in WWII with 4 brothers. Amongst them are numerous medals including 8 purple hearts. One killed at the age of 18 at Mt. Alifan, Guam in the evening when the Japanese broke through their line. The only picture I have of him is his official Marine photo. He was just a kid! My dad was 15 years older than him and since my dad left home after the 6th grade for work to support the family he didn’t know him that well either. In the late 90’s we were able to track down a veteran who served with my uncle and explained how he died.

We must never forget the sacrifice made by our brave and young. There has never in history been a country such as ours that has done so much for so many and there is no moral equivalent. And most importantly, we must not permit those who attempt to equate the actions of our brave soldiers to those of our enemy.

Jack Davis

Tim, words ring hollow in the face of your family’s sacrifice. I thank them and salute them for their service.

And thank you for your very moving post. It helps me keep alive the memory of my uncle, who served on Tarawa.

Bruce A.

The facts are undeniable about WWII. It makes my blood boil to hear people say the Holocaust never happened or when I hear Harry Truman called a mass murderer. Every unbiased analysis I have read on Pres. Truman considers him as great or near great as President. His decision to drop the bomb no doubt saved millions of lives & possibly that of my father who was a scared 18 year old kid stationed on a navy tanker in the Pacific when the bombs were dropped.

Tim.Ned

Yes, Bruce. And more disturbing is when it’s done by a comedian like Stewart who should know better. Well at least he backed off his statement. My father in law was stationed on an LCS awaiting the invasion. How different our lives could have been had Truman been worried about his legacy. He truly was a couragous President.

BTW, Stewart didn’t call Truman a “mass murderer”, as you claimed, he called him a war criminal.

Tim Ned

I did not say or did anyone else that Stewart called Truman a mass murderer. I stand by the context in the example I used.

I will not debate the comments by LeMay and the context in which he made statements. You have the right to interrupt words any way you wish. The twist you play on context to fit your ideology displays the morbid reality of your thinking. Good luck with that!

Bruce A.

Tim you are correct.

Stephen Colbert

Bruce didn’t use the term “war criminal”, he used the term “mass murderer”, and you agreed with Bruce while smearing Stewart. The context is pretty obvious.

Tim Ned

You suffer from Context Drifting Syndrome (CDS) which was explained by a brilliant professor to my college class years ago. It is a syndrome in which a person participating in a discussion rolls the comments of several individuals within the group into a single talking point in order to justify and defend their ideology.

There is a cure and it’s called eating your own words. Winston Churchill highly recommends this remedy and as he stated it never gave him indigestion. Stewart did it why don’t you try it some time.

Tim Ned

Clearly CDS!

Stephen Colbert

Tim, you responded to him directly. You even used his name. Everyone can see it.

Tim.Ned

Thanks Jack, Tarawa was a horrific battle and an example of the great sacrifice. We must insure our children remember their heritage.

http://dailyhowler.com/ Wil Burns

You said “We must never forget the sacrifice made by our brave and young.”

How about?

The real answer to limiting war to only those absolutely necessary is to create and enforce an international law requiring only men over 40 be allowed in the military.

Let our young live!

Tim Ned

Do you ever think about what you say Wil? Your idea is brilliant the next time we go to war with England. You should lead the way and get Al Qaida, Hamas, and all the other nutty groups to agree with this. If you do, I’ll sign the paperwork on your idea as well. Good Luck!

http://dailyhowler.com/ Wil Burns

Tim, Do you ever think about what was said, instead of offering insults? Think man, think!

Stephen Colbert

You can expect Stewart to do a funny skit showing Obama surrounded by Marxists and Islamists at about the same time you see Bernie attacking Faux “News” for it’s hypocrisy.

Mike Jeffries

Stephen…no apostrophe needed for “its” in the usage: “…its hypocrisy.”

Stephen Colbert

Thanks Mike. I appreciate the punctuation pointers. You might want to check out some of Stephen Shields’ posts.

EddieD_Boston

So you’re saying that NBC, The NYT, The Boston Globe, MSNBC CNN et al are real news? How come their viewership/readership are dwindling at a breakneck pace. The Boston Globe’s circuilation has dropped 23% in the last 6 months. Fox News kicks ass EVERY night. Oh that’s right, we’re all stupid.

When you use the stupid phrase Faux News all you’re doing is proving what an idiot you are. I know that in your little world you’re a better person than we conservatives and much more intelligent than the knuckle-dragging rednecks that populate this website. But that’s only in your little world. Go away, the LooningtonPost would love to have you.

Stephen Colbert

Eddie, the network evening news programs each draw anywhere from about 6 to 10 million viewers every night. Faux “News” averages about 2 million viewers each night. So, yes, Faux is “kicking ass”, if by “kicking ass” you mean “getting crushed”.

CCNV

Stephen/”Stephanie”, you reek of Code Pink. You ran out of arguments a couple days ago, but you continue throwing rocks. Isn’t it about time to head to the basement and stare at your mirror?

Stephen Colbert

CCNV, how’s that search for Iraq’s WMD coming along, you moron.

Mike Jeffries

Stephen, you need to end this post with a question mark, not a period, since you’re asking CCNV a question.

Stephen Colbert

Mike, you are quite the punctuation guru.

CCNV

I think Colbert needs to change the subject. Mmmm, maybe something like blaming us for slavery?? Makes about as much sense. Hey, Doofus, we’re laughing AT you, not WITH you!!

Stephen Colbert

Why should I change the subject when you clowns have no response for this one?

By the way, I’m laughing AT you, too.

CCNV

LOL. Isn’t this about the same time you signed off yesterday? Better get on your big wheel and speed off on your paper route.

Stephen Colbert

LOL I’ll bet my “paper route” pays better than your “job”.

CCNV

I’d really like to take that bet, but a man’s only as good as his word, and yours isn’t worth much around here.

Stephen Colbert

Nice backpedal.

Mike Jeffries

Stephen, once again…periods inside closing quote marks. (See below.) I thought you’d get that by now.

Stephen Colbert

Mike, again, I already told you that I’m going to ignore that rule.

(see below)

EddieD_Boston

Hey brainsurgeon, Fox is cable news and is the only cable new station that has had higher ratings than the alphabet stations. The only one EVER.

Stephen Colbert

So what if Faux is cable? It’s still being crushed by network news.

EddieD_Boston

What hypocrisy are you talking about dimbulb? All you’re proving, as a typical libtard, is that you don’t watch Fox and only pick up tidbits from Christine Mathews and Keith Olberwoman. This is all you have to know about these two: Mathews claims in all seriousness that Jimmy Carter was a “great president” and Olberwoman lies and claims he went to an Ivy League university. Throw in Mr. Maddow…”John McCain was treated very well as a POW, I know this to be true” and you have three mental defectives that are only watched by the looney fringe, which obviously includes you. But in your little world you’re smarter that the rest of us.

Stephen Colbert

The hypocrisy of Bernie Goldberg demanding that Jon Stewart should be “fair and balanced”.

Mike Jeffries

Stephen, you need to place the period inside the ending quotation mark.

Stephen Colbert

I have always thought that rule is stupid, so I ignore it intentionally.

But, thanks again for the punctuation pointers!

Nancy

Bernie–

Glad the old forum is back! I wish along with the required email addresses the participants would have to sign a civility clause –(and we wonder why kids these days are bullying each other to death–go figure). To John H wherever you are, thanks for the apology–see, we really, really can just get along AND disagree simultaneously!

On topic–agree wholeheartedly and did you catch the column in the WSJ by Ms. Ali on Tuesday? I thought her ideas were quite instructive.

Ken Besig Israel

Sorry Bern, I guess I missed them, all the best!

Ken Besig Israel

Bernie, I am curious as to why my remarks were blocked by you from this site.

al sorichetti

Bernie, you are right on the money with your political views of the print media. Your comentaries are a breath of fresh air and greatly appreciated.

AnthonyFerreira

Dear Mr. Goldberg:To say you’re on a roll would be an understatement. Notice you’ve attracted a new following.I initially thought the colorful dialogue hurled in your direction was in reference to a new narcissistic yoga position wannabe bohemians were practicing in the Village,or a weak attempt of channeling ,Lenny Bruce,through the boob tube.Can understand why your chili has ben running a little hot. I on the other hand have been trying to lessen my carbon footprint by controlling my breathing. If it’s O.K. with you? Please remind me to never stand by some of the members of your new admiration society during a thunderstorm in Brevard County unless I’m holding a one iron and channeling, Ben Hogan.Also, maybe Americans could find out who ownes the rights to the old “Fickle Finger of Fate Award” and start handing them out again.Best Regards

Keith Odor-man

For future reference, eat only one handful of shrooms at a time, not two.

AnthonyFerreira

Thanks for the suggestion. You’re snappy reportoire slays me but the negative vibe is a bummer.

stmichrick

When the President of the U.S. sees the need to tell others about Americans being ‘an imperfect people,’ one begins to discern the mindset that accepts the intolerance of Islamists to criticism and caricature by infidels, and at the same time endorses blanket derision of our military, traditional values, the business community and closest allies. Hopefully in 2012 this inclination to tear down America will end.

I see no moral distinction between these modern Islamic lunatics, the Ku Klux Klan or Nazis Party members. All were envious and hated the success of others outside their own demographic.

fan

interesting that bernie didn’t choose to place a picture of mohammand in this article. he should place a photo to show others that he is not in any way afraid of the radicals and that he can not be censored as others have been.

CCNV

If you would close your mouth so your eyes could open, you’d see the Mohammed cartoon at the top of the article.

Oh, and another thing…you, in no way, have near the class that the REAL Stephen Colbert has. Grow up you little Turd.

CCNV

Ooops! Too much multi-tasking. Oh well…

Stephen Colbert

That’s not a Mohammed cartoon, that’s Mohammad in a bear costume. Bernie is terrified if Daily Show fans, do you think he’d actually display a Mohammed cartoon?

CCNV

Isn’t Comedy Central’s censoring South Park ‘cartoons’ of Mohammed the main subject of this article?? Bernie’s offered up the CARTOON that Comedy Central has censored. A freakin’ CARTOON!! Tell you what… Why don’t YOU put up a pic of Mohammed on a website with YOUR name and address and supply the link here? Are you too terrified?

Stephen Colbert

If CC censored the cartoon, where did Bernie get that screen shot?

CCNV

Gee, if only I could do the Vulcan mind meld…

Stephen Colbert

Gee, if you only had a mind to meld.

CCNV

Funny, from the sounds of it, you’re on here getting educated by some REAL men.

Stephen Colbert

Too funny… Are you talking about the REAL man who thought Einstein worked on the Manhatten Project?

Jack Davis

By the way, Manhattan is consistently misspelled in your posts. It’s Manhattan, NOT Manhatt”e”n.

So apparently I’m not far off the mark in thinking that you’ve been left behind a few times.

Stephen Colbert

I hope the speel-check police don’t try to take me away.

Stephen Colbert

If your best argument is spelling errors, you lost the argument.

Stephen Shields

I’m beginning to think you are the real Stephen Colbert. Your just as narcissistic and witless as the real one.

Stephen Colbert

I’m beginning to think that you’re a retard.

Stephen Shields

Wow, you really are an educated individual. Your so smart you sink to insults instead of actaul discussion.

Stephen Colbert

Considering that you just posted this:

“Your just as narcissistic and witless as the real one.”

You’re not really in a position to be whining about insults.

Stephen Shields

Well, when you display traits of narcissism and do it in a witless way… Not whining, just showing you what your bloated ego is blocking, or is that bigotry too?

Let’s all get a civility lesson, since we are all bigots, and now you know the definition of bigotry.

Stephen Colbert

And you display definite traits of being a retard, so stop whining about being insulted.

Stephen Shields

I see your vocabulary isn’t too strong either. Perhaps your highschool teacher should have had to lecture the class during english. I’m not whining about your lame insults. I’m just pointing out to you how immature and ignorant of the english language you are. For someone so concerned with morality you sure are hurling the word retard around a lot. I guess you need to learn it’s meaning as well.

Well, of course this is serious buiness. One wouldn’t want to wind up like Theo Van Gogh. Can Salman Rushdie EVER feel safe? Fact is, Muslim terrorists issue fatwas at the drop of the Koran.

Dunno that there’s anything we can do about it, since we’re up against terrorists who value death over life. Have to say that they have a LOT of incentives, though, what with all those virgins waiting for them in Paradise.

Maybe if folks were more licentious…and the supply of virgins dropped…maybe then there’d be less incentive for those “phreaks” to wade in with AK-47s, bombs and knives. Maybe….

Or perhaps it’s akin to what Golda Meir said: This will stop only when they love their children more than they hate us, or when they celebrate life over violent martrydom.

However, I don’t expect that to happen anytime soon.

EddieD_Boston

I read Evan Thomas’ John Paul Jones and was amazed that Catherine the Great hired Jones to help fight Muslims who were at war to kill the infidel IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 19TH CENTURY. These idiots have been at it a long time and will never change. They’re animals. And make no mistake, it’s their religion. Jews, Christian, Buddists and Hindus don’t behave this way. Maybe Christians did in the middle-ages but that was 1,000 years ago, so they get a mulligan.

Stephen Shields

Two words, Isaac and Ismael. It’s been going on longer than the 19th Century, try since about 5000 BC. Not that it justifies anything, but Christians were fighting for freedom and to take back what was theirs during the crusades. Again, that doesn’t make it right, it’s just the reason why. The church has done a lot of things wrong, but what do you expect from sinful men? The Bible doesn’t tell people to kill those who don’t follow it’s words.

Stephen Colbert

Wow, it’s good to see Bernie is providing a platform for bigots on his website. I hate to break it to you, but Christians have no problem burning down entire cities (see Tokyo, Dresden, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki) if they can find an excuse (they did it first!! or… we had no choice!).

Stephen Shields

Really? I’m a Christian, and I have a problem with that. I assume you are insinuating that the United States is a Christian nation, which ofcourse is contradictory to President Obama’s continued ramblings and global ass kissing? You can’t have it both ways. Please, explain how anything said here is bigoted? Do you even know the meaning of bigotry?

Stephen Colbert

We may not be a Christian nation, but it was mostly Christians dropping the bombs.

Stephen Shields

Do you have actual evidence that the pilots and bomb crew were Christians, or are you just making assumptions? I’m pretty certain there weren’t too many Christians working on the Manhattan Project (Albert Einstein). I’ll ask you again, what was bigotted?

Stephen Colbert

Simple probability.

And Einstein didn’t work on the Manhatten Project, you moron. He wrote a letter to Roosevelt urging him to build a nuke, but he had nothing to do with building it.

Stephen Shields

So, you’ve managed to call me a name showing your true maturity, and you have yet to answer the question. Oh, and for your information, Einstein’s opinion was regularly sought during the Manhattan Project for building the atomic bomb.

Stephen Colbert

I didn’t call you a name, I stated a proven fact. If you think Einstein was working on the Manhatten Project, you’re a moron. Einstein was a pacifist.

Stephen Colbert

By the way, Einstein was denied the security clearance needed to work on the Manhattan Project. No one working on the project was allowed to talk to him.

Stephen Shields

There are letters! What US History class did you take?

Stephen Colbert

I took the class where the US Army denied Einstein security clearance and the scientists were not allowed to contact him.

If you have letters showing that he worked on the project, you should post them.

Stephen Shields

Mr. Colbert, to be perfectly honest with you, I knew damn well Einstein wasn’t on the Manhattan Project. He did send Roosevelt a letter, and in that regard was behind it. The rest of it is just my guilty pleasure getting you all riled up, and watching you avoid the original question. See, even conservatives can BS once in a while. I love the, I didn’t call you a name, moron. You’re such a hypocrite. The least you could do would be to steal a name of some one who was actually funny or you know, brought something of importance to society. Instead you chose to hide behind a name of a joke of a comedian that ran a farce campaign. You stay classy, who ever you really are.

Stephen Colbert

Why would I get riled up? I’m not the one who made the idiotic claim that Einstein worked on the Manhatten Project. You can try to pretend that you didn’t make a fool of yourself, but I doubt that anyone is buying.

Stephen Shields

Yeah, because I couldn’t have just Googled it to get all knowledge of the situation. You obviously are riled if you feel the name to hurl insults, and you have STILL avoided the question. It’s a little experiment I’ve been trying when talking to you and other like minded liberals. You avoid, avoid, avoid. So, I decided to throw a little factless claim in there just to watch you take the bait and see how much you would avoid the question. Please, try staying on topic. So, I’ll try one more time. Where has bigotry been displayed, and do you even know what it means?

Stephen Colbert

Yes, making moronic claims is quite the brilliant tactic. You should start posting as Wile E Coyote.

And the bigotry is pretty obvious.

“And make no mistake, it’s their religion. Jews, Christian, Buddists and Hindus don’t behave this way. Maybe Christians did in the middle-ages but that was 1,000 years ago, so they get a mulligan.”

In fact, Jews and Christians have shown themselves to be quite willing to behave “that way”. Given the opportunity, Buddists, Hindus, and atheists are probably also quite capable of acting that way.

Stephen Shields

I’ll take that as, er…er…er… There has been no bigotry, and I’ll take your continued avoidance as evidence that you don’t know what the word means.

Stephen Colbert

I don’t really give a crap how you take it, the bigotry is obvious.

Stephen Shields

Yeah, obviously not there. You can’t just start throwing out accusations when you can’t even use the word properly.

Stephen Colbert

Sorry, but your ignorance is not my problem.

Jack Davis

See Pearl Harbor, the Rape of Nanking, the Invasion of Poland, blitzkreig…and before you get to talking about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, see the Battles of Tarawa, Iwo Jima and Okinawa…and THEN when you’re through with the basic research, read: “An Invasion Not Found in the History Book,” by James Martin Davis.

“Admiral William Leahy estimated that there would be more than 250,000 Americans killed or wounded on Kyushu alone. General Charles Willoughby, chief of intelligence for General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander of the Southwest Pacific, estimated American casualties would be one million men by the fall of 1946. Willoughby’s own intelligence staff considered this to be a conservative estimate.”

I hate to break it to you, Stephen, but the Japanese sowed the wind, so they reaped the whirlwind. And an invasion of Japan could have cost 1,000,000 American lives, millions more Japanese lives and the destruction of Japan as a nation. Plus, had either the Germans or the Japanese gotten the bomb first, how do YOU think THEY would have used it? Penguins in the Southern Ocean?

Get yourself some education before you get your shorts in a twist.

Jack Davis

BTW, the above meant for “Stephen Colbert.”

Stephen Colbert

What about Pearl Harbor? It was a military target. Tokyo was not. Neither was Nagasaki, Dresden, or Hiroshima. And even if they bombed LA, how does that change what we did? Morality isn’t supposed to change based on what your enemy does. It’s supposed to remain constant.

Jack Davis

They started World War II. We finished World War II. Study history. Do the math. Don’t talk to me about morality until you’ve done your homework.

Stephen Colbert

Interesting. Because they started the war, we get to toss morality out the window. How convenient is that for us?

Well, except for the fact that if someone thinks we started a war, that means they get to toss morality out the window.

Jack Davis

Clearly, you know nothing about the Bataan Death March, and allied prisoners of war bayonetted as they fell by the wayside, or shot in the back. Where was your morality then? You know nothing about American POWs beheaded for the slightest infraction. Where was your morality then? You know nothing about Bushido and the warrior caste in Japan. Where was your morality then? You know nothing about Axis attempts to develop a nuclear weapon…and the New York Bomber being designed to deliver that weapon to the United States.

I salute all Allied servicemen and servicewomen who gave their lives so that I didn’t grow up speaking Japanese…and you should do the same.

Have you ever heard of “In It To Win It”? Truman was RIGHT to use EVERY weapon at his disposal to defeat the Empire of Japan. It would have been IMMORAL of him NOT to do so.

Your arguments are pathetic…and your ignorance is appalling.

Stephen Colbert

I know all about the Bataan Death March. And there were plenty of atrocities that you haven’t mentioned.

What I don’t understand is why Japanese atrocities change our moral obligation to try to avoid killing civilians? Is morality the sort of thing you can just toss aside when it isn’t convenient?

Jack Davis

Better Hiroshima and Nagasaki than the immorality of continuing a war that would have cost millions more Japanese and American lives.

Had you read “An Invasion Not Found in the History Books,” by James Martin Davis, you would understand. Once again, here’s the link.

Every time you post on this subject, you lend further credence to: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t force it to drink.” More than that, though, in your case you also personify the south end of a northbound horse.

Once again, Truman was RIGHT to use EVERY weapon at his disposal to defeat the Empire of Japan. It would have been IMMORAL of him NOT to do so.

Truman’s actions regarding the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were EMINENTLY moral. Unfortunately, you don’t know enough about history to grasp simple truths.

Educate thyself…and perhaps one day you’ll post more than the nonsense you’ve contributed to this blog so far.

Stephen Colbert

In other words, the ends justify the means. Of course, if we can justify the mass slaughter of civilians as better than the other options, so can others.

Rachel Madcow

Ignore this guy. He’s one of the 47% of households that pay no federal income tax.

Stephen Colbert

How much fit do you pay?

Ron Kean

Man…you’re way off here.

Stephen Colbert

Really? What part of my statement was “way off”?

Ron Kean

You shouldn’t be down on America for how it helped the Pacific rim and our interests in WW2. Japan did terrible things and in war terrible things happen…in defense. Japan had to be stopped and the bombs stopped a war.

Stephen Colbert

I’m not down on America for winning the war. I’m down on morons who think it’s ok to burn down cities, and then whine about how dirty the Muslims are fighting.

Ron Kean

I respect that you’re taking on just about everybody here. You seem to like fighting back. That’s why you should realize that when the allies bombed Hiroshima, Dresden and the like, they were stopping brutal people who were mad with power and delusions.

From what I’ve learned, Islam is about conquest and bloody conquest if need be. We defended Moslems in Bosnia, Kuwait, and other places. We didn’t ask for anything in return. Yet millions of them see us as the great Satan. 9/11, Daniel Pearl, Major Hassan….that’s the thanks we’ve gotten.

I believe it’s OK to criticize their behavior and I think our violence in self defense is justified. It seems that you believe in a moral equalivance that we’re both bad equally for acting in the same manner.

Very bad people will use human shields to win your spirited defense even if that defense is on a small thread like this. Call us morons. I’ll call you your enemy’s supporter.

Stephen Colbert

The idea that we defended Muslims in Kuwait is absurd. We defended oil in Kuwait. We also back Israel no matter what Israel does. We backed the Shah. We back the House of Saud. We prop up a pretty brutal government in Egypt. Trust me, there are plenty of reasons for Muslims to dislike us.

In any case, both sides in a war always think their cause is just. If you think having a just cause is enough to allow you to butcher civilians, you can’t cry when someone else who claims to have a just cause does the same.

Ron Kean

True. There are shared interests. But you must agree that we did help/save Muslim people.

I don’t agree that just because people think their cause is just, it is. Steve, you must choose behavior based on principles. Principles differ but the basic ones like freedom and peaceful coexistance are standards and we should choose them. These are what the USA has fought for and even killed for.

You might say that Nazis incinerated civilians in death camps and the allies burned Dresden so we’re alike. But we’re not. You may think that everybody’s defination of right and wrong is right. But it’s not. You may think that aggression and self defense is the same but it’s not.

Americans have made mistakes. But to equate them with heinous groups like fanatical Muslims is just plain wrong.

Stephen Colbert

“Americans have made mistakes. But to equate them with heinous groups like fanatical Muslims is just plain wrong.”

No, it isn’t wrong. Burning entire cities to the ground is as heinous, or even worse if we go by body count, as anything that any Muslim terrorists are doing.

By the way, I never tried to equate Dresden with the death camps. Far more people were killed in the death camps, so that was a lot worse.

I also never claimed that self defense and aggression are the same thing.

Google search “strawman fallacy”. You should find a link that will explain why your argument is not effective.

EddieD_Boston

What a stupid reply. Seriously, it makes no sense. Are Wil Burns?

Stephen Colbert

It makes perfect sense to me. When your side burns cities to the ground, you’re not really in a position to call other people “animals”.

Stephen Shields

I think you need to check who was in office during WWII and Vietnam. The “your side” argument just shows how blatantly divisive our President is. Nothing is ever about “us”, it’s about “we” and “they.”

Stephen Colbert

What friggin difference does it make who was in office? WE (aka America) have burned cities full of civilians to the ground. WE are in no position to be calling anyone “animals”. That’s what happens when you burn cities to the ground, invade countries for no reason, or butcher the natives in your own country. You don’t get to puff up your chest and say “WE would NEVER do anything like that”. Because WE would, and WE have.

Jack Davis

You need to review Japanese military behavior in World War II, particularly the Rape of Nanking.

You also need to review:

As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
Those who sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind.

Japanese behavior prior to and throughout World War II provided sufficient moral justification for burning their cities to the ground. They got what they deserved.

Clearly, you have no grasp of history.

Stephen Colbert

I grasp history pretty well actually. Back in high school my history teacher had me teach the class when we got to the section on World War 2. I spent 2 days on the war without notes.

However, this has nothing to do with history. Whether or not Japanese soldiers committed atrocities has nothing to do with the morality of burning Japan’s cities to the ground. Heck, even LeMay has admitted that he would have been tried as a war criminal had we lost the war.

Of course, if your morality is no more than “as ye sow, so shall ye reap”, you’re not really in a position to complain when others use that same justification for killing your civilians.

Jack Davis

I find it hard to believe that a high school teacher would have turned over a history class to you. That’s one boast that totally beggars belief, but this IS the Web and you’re entitled to make whatever claims you’d like, bogus though they probably are. “Without notes,” indeed. Incredulous!

Had the Japanese possessed atomic weapons or incendiary bombs and the means to deliver them, they would have laid waste to our cities without giving it a second through.

If you knew your history and Japanese culture prior to and during World War II, you’d know that. But you DON’T see that, which boots your “teaching credentials/experience” into the realm of absolute absurdity.

CCNV

Come on, Jack. Colbert might have learned all he needs to know by watching the movie ‘Pearl Harbor’ several times (because of his favorite actor, Ben Affleck). I’m sure Colbert was as obnoxious in high school, as he is now. I’m just waiting for him to spew the “F” bomb…

Stephen Colbert

“Pearl Harbor” sucked. “Tora! Tora! Tora!” was a much better movie.

Jack Davis

LOL, CCNV…great post!

Clearly, Colbert doesn’t understand the basics of war and military history, and what “world war” means.

What’s disheartening, CCNV, is not that Stephen Colbert is ignorant…it’s that he refuses to educate himself in order to rectify his ignorance. That’s the REAL tragedy here.

After all, as has been said, “a mind is a terrible thing to waste.” How much more tragic, then, is the mind that is locked…as in: “There are none so blind as he who will not see.”

Thanks for reading this far along the thread.

Stephen Colbert

No offense, Jack, but you’re dumber than a box of rocks.

Where did you get your history degree?

Stephen Colbert

The Japanese probably would have nuked US cities. I have no idea why you think that makes it OK for us to kill innocent civilians.

Why are you having so much trouble understanding that the morality of killing innocent civilians does not change just because your enemy is killing innocent civilians?

Jack Davis

You simply don’t understand the nature of total war, of “in it to win it,” of us or them…and this lack of understanding on your part further undercuts your claim to have taught high school history without notes.

If what you described REALLY DID happen, and I doubt it did…but IF it did, shame on your teacher for turning you loose on that class.

Stephen Colbert

No, I do understand the concept of “total war”. It means throwing all morality out the window. I get it. Everyone gets it.

What you don’t seem to understand is that when you throw all morality out the window, you’re in no position to complain when others do the same.

Jack Davis

Stephen Colbert says:

April 28, 2010 at 12:59 pm

No, I do understand the concept of “total war”. It means throwing all morality out the window. I get it. Everyone gets it.

What you don’t seem to understand is that when you throw all morality out the window, you’re in no position to complain when others do the same.

================================

As I recall, my complaint was your dragging Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Tokyo, etc., into this discussion.

You may twist my contribution to your heart’s content, but your credibility suffers as a result. We can discuss your nebulous approach to morality AFTER you concede that Harry Truman was right to use EVERY weapon at his disposal–atomic bombing and firebombing…to hasten the end of WWII and thereby save additional millions of American and Japanese lives by making the invasion of Japan unnecessary.

It would have been immoral for Truman NOT to use EVERY weapon at this disposal.

THAT’s the morality of this issue. However, you’re still not getting it. What you DO need to do is get yourself educated.

READ the source material I cited…THEN tell me that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were immoral.

Stephen Colbert

The point is not whether or not Truman made the right decision, the point is that once you have decided that it is ok to burn entire cities to the ground, you’re not really in a position to call other people “animals” when they show a similar level of ruthlessness.

THAT is morality. If it ok for you burn cities to the ground, it’s ok for other people to kill civilians flying in planes, or blow up churches. You can’t kill 100,000+ civilians in a city, and then complain about the immorality of Muslim terrorists.

EddieD_Boston

Are you saying Harry Truman dropped the bombs in the name of a Christian God? Really????? Hey Bernie, I thought Wil was in a timeout.

Moderate Man

While I disagree with the majority of the spin that Mr. Colbert has placed on historical events, I see his point regarding our use of the atomic bombs in WWII.

I’m no expert on the history of WWII or military strategy or Japanese culture, but I’m going to go out on a limb and ASSUMME (risky, I know) that there were other viable, Japanese military targets that would have crippled their military machine and resulted in few civilian casualties. Given that, I believe that we should have started with those targets, before proceeding to Japanese cities. I think the Japanese military would have surrendered just as fast and we would have never had to resort to bombing cities. “Just sayin’ ” and now I’ll defer to the experts to set me straight on this, as I’d love to know a moral rationalization of why we did not take the approach I’ve suggested.

Although I find the term “collateral damage” dehumanizing, I applaud the policy of our present-day military to do their best to avoid or minimize collateral damage. I think our terrorist enemies are reprehensible for using civilians as shields and targets as they carry-out their “holy” war.

Jack Davis

Before Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the word “surrernder” and the concept of surrendering were not part of the psyche of the Japanese military.

For further information, see what’s been written on the island-hopping campaign (e.g., Tarawa, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Saipan) and also see: “An Invasion Not Found in the History Books.”

Jack Davis and Stephen Shields: I truly appreciate the refresher course (and links) regarding WWII. Some of this info I had filed away/forgotten (since Viet Nam was in progress when I was a teen).

My junior high teacher was a Pearl Harbor survivor. Occasionally, he would share bits and pieces of that horrible day, but it was truly hard for him to talk about it. In later years, I could appreciate his trek back to Pearl Harbor each December, in remembrance. He’s long gone now, but this portion of the blog has brought back memories of times when life was much easier.

Kelly

WOW if hindsight was 20/20! What are you really doing to help the victims? Maybe the US should stop policing the whole damn world it would be a much better place?

http://blog.cyberquill.com Cyberquill

Perhaps people’s religion has nothing to do with why they behave the way they do. Human nature, it seems to me, supersedes religion. People slaughtering each other predates religion by millenia.

I don’t see how Christianity had anything to do with why the Americans bombed Dresden.

Stephen Colbert

It has as much to do with bombing Dresden as being Muslim has to do with being a terrorist. People who have B-2 bombers and smart bombs use them. People who don’t have high tech weapons hide behind civilians and fight in the shadows. They all do what they feel they need to do to survive and win. The people who destroy cities from 20,000 feet have no moral superiority over those who kill prisoners by cutting their heads off.

http://blog.cyberquill.com Cyberquill

Exactly. People will do what they feel they need to do to survive and win. Being Christian had nothing to do with bombing Dresden.

As to moral superiority, I’d like to hear what, if anything, YOU would have done to stop the Nazis or the Japanese. Do you happen to have a morally superior strategy that you would have been employed instead had you been in charge??

Stephen Colbert

I probably would have dropped a nuke on Hiroshima. But, after dropping that nuke, I’d like to think I wouldn’t make a complete fool of myself by calling Muslim terrorists “sub-human”.

You see, I’m not the one here calling people “sub-human”. I’m the one pointing out that you can’t call people “sub-human” when you support dropping nukes on cities.

http://blog.cyberquill.com Cyberquill

I guess you’re right. The term sub-human makes no sense when applied to individuals who behave like only humans would behave.

What’s up with the Stephen Colbert handle? Granted, my real name isn’t Cyberquill either, but at least I don’t call myself Bill O’Reilly.

Stephen Colbert

I wanted something that would make it pretty obvious which side I was on. If some of the dumber wingnuts think Colbert is on their side, even better.

http://blog.cyberquill.com Cyberquill

So you’re siding with the comedians, i.e., those where one can never be sure if they mean what they say.

Stephen Colbert

Because I’m quite happy with the name I picked.

donnac

a comment from an ultra-liberal. dear mr. goldberg, i caught you for the 1st time, channel surfing, when you rebutted john stewart. now, i’ve watched your comments on the new arizona law news coverage and the south park fiasco.

just wanted to say i admire your style. you are correct in your belief of the slanted, biased, humiliation-based reporting by both sides. shame, ain’t it?

although i disagree with your political/economic/social views; i will continue to watch you comment. you are about as unbiased as they come and honest disagreements are always good. i would only object to the label of ‘lamestream’ media; you appear to be better than that … my best to you. respectfully, donnac.

http://www.bigbureaucracy.com/ Ellie

With the freedom of speech we have to endure heroes and cowards the same.

Buz

Muslims who are offended kill the offenders and wave them in the face of future offenders thereby avoiding the pain that they might experience by future offences. Despite all of the gains that civilization have made over lo these many centuries,only the most primative, barbaric reactions are able avoid having one’s religeous beliefs mocked. Comedy Central, The New York Times, Bill Maher and all the rest of the self proclaimed intellectual elite obviously have the backbones of a chocolate eclair in that they instantly cave to any potentially real threat so, apparently, the muslims have the answer. Were some Christian radical group to knock off Bill Maher and wave him in the face of the rest of his ilk, Marys depicted in dung and crusifixes depicted in toilets would go away. That would be a great gain achived for a small loss.

Maureen D

Someone would have shot them or blown up the building. Along the same lines as giving Muslims a pass, but no one else – Did anyone see this nasty joke by James Jones, our National Security Advisor? Videos and texts released by the media and by the WH have been cleansed of his joke and when it does pop up, people give Jones, the anti-semite, a pass. Jews as greedy merchants joke – http://yidwithlid.blogspot.com/2010/04/national-security-adviser-jones-jews.html

Ken Besig Israel

The folks at Comedy Central which I believe produces the Jon Stewart show prided themselves with what was called, “Speaking truth to power” when it came to George Bush, Dick Cheney, Christian beliefs, Jewish beliefs and practices, Hinduism, and practically every other, pardon me, “sacred cow.”
However, as you so cogently pointed out Bernie, when the power you are speaking to is called Islam, you damn well better bow, scape, and kowtow because if you don’t you may find yourself in a similar position to that of former journalist Daniel Pearl, headless and dead.

Yon Yames

Thank you Bernie, for your absolutely brilliant analysis last night with Laura. It was a brutally honest rope-a-dope upon the left’s corrupt position. I’d like to share a You Tube video of it – where can I find it?

http://www.bernardgoldberg.com Bernie

not sure Yon. Try to Fox News Web site.

Kelly

Bernie,
I found something very flattering of you. Sonja Schidmt of PJTV does a wonderful piece of the back and forth between you and Steward.

Ron Kean

It was in the Video section of Real Clear Politics 4/28/10 AM

freddy

This shows that comedy central is aware that their comedy is painful to the people that have faith in a religion or god but they know the only religion that will act violently to impose their will is the muslim faith which is supposed to be a religion of peace. I think everyone should boycott comedy central until they treat everyone’s faith equally and stop being cowards.

http://rubegonia.net RuBegonia

Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me. That used to be a powerfully healing axiom. I think I’ll go hide behind my screenname and mull it over some more.

But Janet Napolitano is convinced Christians who have served in the military are our enemies.

Ted

Bernie,

If you murdered everyone who attacked you, the world record serial killer would be yours.

ted

Stephen Shields

Bernie, you need to read this. Just for the record, Gianoulias was the senior loan officer at Broadway Bank from 2002 until he was elected treasurer in 2006. All loans had to cross his desk at some point.

Bernie, another fine article. Thanks for reminding me the New York Times is still in business. Most of my news now comes via the web.

Scott

Great story.

Stephen Shields

Nice piece Bernie. South Park isn’t my bag (not my kind of humor), but death threats are a tad heavy. Imagine what the NY Times would have done if Christians had started sending Matt and Trey death threats after they used Jesus as a character. On a lighter note,their movie Base-ketball is a riot, especially if you are a sports fan and can appreciate the mockery they make of sports in general.

Ron Kean

Good to have you back, Bernie.

What’s with the New York Times? The head guy gives himself a multi-million dollar raise and lays off a bunch of people. Readership is declining but a lot of regulars are still loyal.

A lot of people are very loyal.

TC

The ironic thing about the first (uncensored) South Park episode is that it did NOT depict Mohammed at all, as Bernie says.

Matt and Trey were having a good joke over the whole “death to infidels if they portray Mohammed” thing by “showing” him inside a U-Haul truck and then inside a bear costume. Yet these crazies threatened Matt and Trey anyway, and the network caved.

The funny thing is that in the episode, the characters repeatedly refer to an earlier episode of South Park called “Super Best Friends” that ran prior to 9/11 which depicted Mohammed as a sort of “super hero” with mystical powers–not a peep was heard about it.

My only conclusion is that the Danish cartoons which sparked all the controversy about depicting Mohammed in the first place ran after 9/11, when the War on Terror was raging and the public’s consciousness about Islam and Islamists was heightened, much more so than it was back before 9/11 when the “Super Best Friends” episode aired.

This whole thing is nuts…and kudos to Bernie’s foil, Jon Stewart, for calling out his bosses over it the next night on his show.

http://www.manilatop10.com Eric

Sir,

Perhaps even humor cannot break the ice in such closed-minded places?

I think it is incumbent on global journalists to provide more information in areas of censorship, not for those who have access to many sides of an issue, but for those that don’t.

In that vein, I admire the likes of C.A. and others who report in the knowledge that their words may be their last!

thanks for sharing
Eric

Texan American

Thank you for publishing the New York Times Op-Ed, ’cause I won’t wade throught the elephant dung that poses as the New York Times Op-Ed page.

CCNV

Missed you, Bernie, but I, too, needed a break from all the ‘blue’ air. Thanks for the great new article!

My gripe with the whole Mohammed thing is that I guess it’s politically correct to offend Americans by showing beheaded innocent Americans on the Islam websites, and we are supposed to just ‘accept’ that and go about our business?? Cowering down (in our OWN country) to extreme radical Islams is to allow them to project another form of “TERRORISM” upon us. I call that BS.

Dan in Phx

I wonder if part of the trouble with the high wire act that is modern journalism (or is it not so high any more?) is that someone offended is even considered news.

Is that somewhat akin to some schools not giving low grades or not keeping score at a soccer game to prevent hurt feelings?

Good job connecting the dots, Bernie.
(p.s. “its”, not “it’s” in the second to last graph)

Sheiela Murray

Great piece, Mr. Goldberg. I’ve had it with the media and their lack of compassion when it comes to Christianity.